Improvement in g-un-carriages



4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. ERICSSON. GUN GARRIAGB No. 100,514. Patented Mar. a, 1870.

h uk $5 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

0 J. ERICSSON.

GUN CARRIAGE.

No. 100,514. Patented Mar. 8, 1870.

Q SSM? 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. ERICSSON. GUN CARRIAGE.

No. 100,514. 'Patented Mar. 8, 1870.

4 Sheets- Sheet 4. J. ERICSSON.

GUN CARRIGB.

No' "1005514" Patented Mar 1817-0,

bii

datiert' JOHN ERICSSON, 0F NEW YORK, N. lY.

Letters Patent No. 100,514, dated .March 8, 187 0.

IMPROVEMENT IN GUN-CARRIAG-ES.

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The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same To all whom 'it may concern Beit known that I, JOHN ERICSSON, or New York -feity, in the county and State of N ew -Y ork, have invented a new and improved Gun-Slide and Carriage; and I do hereby declare that the tbllowiug is a t'ull, clear, and exact description thereoi` which will enable others skilled in theart to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings -forming part of this specitication.

This invent-ion has for its' object to improve the construction of naval gun-slides and carriages, and more particularly those of pivot-guns, that thc several part-s ofthe same will not be injured by the shocks of the recoihand that, in fact, such shocks may to a great extent be overcome.

This invention relates to gun-carriages, and

It consists in certain improvements thereon which are hereafter specitied in the cla-im.

The invention consists also in the arrangement of a friction-baron the slide, and of a double-acting adjustable clutch on the carriage, for producing friction on the bar while the gun recoils. The force of the recoil is thereby gradually distributed and not collected, as usually, in a single shock.

The invention consists also incertain details of con-- struction as regards the hanging of the clutch-shaft, the locking of the slide, 85e., as hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure l represents a plan or top view, partly in section, of' my improved gun-carriage and slide.

Figure 2 is a vertical saure.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the same. Figure 4is a vertical transverse section of the sume; r

Figure 4*.-is a detail side view of the level' for holding the mmienvering-wheels in and out of gear.

Figure 5 is a detail longitudinal section ot' a slide for a broadside gun.

Figure (i is a plan or top view ofthe same. Similar let-ters of reference indicate corresponding parts. l

'A in the drawing represents the slide of a pivotun. g It is constructed of the side rails a. a, front crosspiece b and back cross-piece c, and of a central crossplate, d, through which the fighting-bolt B is fitted.

The bolt B is secured to or formed on a metal plate, D, which is firmly bolted or secured to the deckG.

The bolt B projects through a slot, c, oi' the plate d, the slot being longer in the direction ot' the longitudinal center of the slide than the diameter' of the holt, to allow the slide some slight longitudinal play on the bolt.

At the ends, the slide carries the transverse trucks longitudinal section of lthe` E E, which roll on and are supported by the transverse or deck-ring F.

The fighting-bolt B being on the center ofthe ring F, forms, therelbre, the pivot on which the entire carriage is swung to train the gun.

lo the face of the front cross-loar D is secured a plate, G, which has a downward and projecting lip, j; the said lip fitting against the outer edge ofthe transverse ring F.

The lip f is intended to take the ent-ire strain of the recoil brought against the slide, and to remove lit entirely from the lighting-bolt.

Vhen the carriage on the slide strikes the rear hurters H H, it will tend to move the slide backward.

The slight play given to the slide by the slot e, and, by the very 'short distance between the ring F and the lipj, causes it to yield to the strain thus brought against it, and to move backward until the lip f 'arrests it. pg., y

The slot e is long enough to leave the bolt entirely undisturbed during this motion, all the strain being taken up by the lip f and ring F.

The lighting-bolt is by this arrangement protected, and cannot become loose or be bent, and the adjustment of the slide on the traverse will consequently always remain accurate and true.

The hurters H are elastic blocks set into suitable sockets that are formed ou the rear part of the slide. llheir construction and arrangement may be varied to a suitablel degree.

lo the face ofthe lip f is or may be secured a perforated plate or eye-bolt, g, adapted to receive a vertical check-bolt, 71, reaching-into a mortise provided` in the deck, as is clearly shown in fig. 2.

The bolt h can belocked in the lowered or iu an elevated position by means of a set-screw or pin, i, that is tit-ted through the plateg or through the bolt h alone.

The object cf the check-bolt' is to lock the slide in a position parallel to the central line of the vessel, the. muzzle ofthe gun pointing toward the bow.

The gun-carriage I is constructed ot' metal or other suitablematerial of suitable form.

Its cheeks jj are so much further apart from each other than the rails ofthe slide, that wheels KK, which are between the cheeks mounted upon a horizontal shaft J, may rest upon thev upper edge of the said rails.

The shaft J has its bearings' in the cheeks of' the carriage near the front end of the same, so that the front end ofthe carriage will be supported on the slide of the wheels K. The said-wheels may, however, if desired, he oa thenuter side of the cheeks, in which case the latter are brought closer together.

The rear part of the carriage is supported on the rails by the rollers S S, as shown.

L Zure hooks projecting downward from the cheeks, at or near the rear end of the same, and inwardly into longitudinal grooves provided in the side of the rails a', as indicated by dotted lines in fig. 3.

The hooks l serve tohold the rear end of the carriage in Contact with the slide.

It'4 desired, friction-rollers maybe used to work in the grooves of the rails a instead of the horizontal arms of the hooks 1, or other equivalent devices may be employed.

Upon the shaft J is mounted, between the cheeks j, a. toothed wheel, m.

Into the same mesh the teeth of a pinion, n, which is mounted upon a horizontal shaft, o, that has its bearings in the cheeks.

The shaft o carries a crank, p, at its outer end, whereby it can he conveniently revolved to impart. rotary motion to the shaft J and wheels K. `When the gun is to be run into battery, the shaft is revolved, and the Wheels K will then curry the ,carriage forward on the rails.

In order to prevent the shaft o from revolving when thev gun recoils, and the consequent dangerous revolution of the crank 11,. I have made the shaft o transversely adjustable in its hearings, so that when ythe gun is ready for tiring, such shaft may be thrown out ot gear and locked ont by a catch, r, fig. 4 and 4' or other suitable appar-anis.

During the recoil, the carriage will, therefore, roll back on the wheel K wit-hout revolving the shafto.

A suitable hook may be made to drop into the cogs ot' the pinion n, in which case the wheels K l( will slide on a. a (hiring the recoil.

To the front cross-piece l) of the slide is iirmlysecured, either by overlapping or otherwise, a narrow metal plate, L, which is somewhat higher than or about on al level wit-h t-he upper edge ot' the. rails a. It extends backward along the middle of the slide, and beyond the center of' the same, and has its rear end supported on the plate d by an 'oblique brace., t, or on the rails by suitable diagonal or oblique stays.

The plate L is termed the frictiolnbar.

The friction-bar is embraced hya friction-clutch, M, which consists of two plates zt and t', one being placed upon and the other held against the under side of the bar ll, both of them being prevented from overcrowding each other by means of a tooth and notch, 11.', ou their ends at the sides of the bar.

rlhe faces of thelplates u r, which are contiguous with the iiiction-strap, arev provided and filledl; with wooden or other equivalent wearing-hlocks wjc, vhlch can be readily replaced when worn, and which protect the metal of the plates u 1:. The lower plate 1v is, by means of straps r x, suspended fronra horizontal shaft, N, hung transversely in the carriage.

A semi-cylindrical box, y, is interposed between the shaft-N and thc straps x5 The said shaft is in contact with the upper plate u.

Between the plate. u. and the box y the shaft N is made of oval cross-section, c., cani-shaped. iVhcn its prominent parts are horizontally opposite 'cach other, therewili be no pressure upon the plate u, nor will the plate 'r be elevated, and no friction is therefore produced on the 1i'iction-strap L.

'hen, however, the shaft N is turned to bring its prominent parts against the plate 'a audit-he box y respectively, thereby forcing the former" down upon the friction-bar., and elevating the latter, by this lmeans raising` the plate against the friction-bar, the said bar Pwill thus be clamped between the plates u Av .f the more the prominent parts of the camshaft N are made to deviate from the horizontal position shown inti f 2.

Tile degree of pressure is regulated `by means of a lever, z, which is attached to the end "of the shaft N on the outside of the carriage, and which can be locked insuital'ile position on a notched scgn'ient, ai', or its equivalent. f

lhe force ot' the recoil is by the, clutch M transferred to a great degree hy the friction-bar, winch transmits it on the shortest route to the traverseling. llhe vehement shock generally produc-ed when the carriage strikes the hurters thus almost entirely prevented.

Ihe degree of friction should be regulated in accordance with the charge in t-he gun.

The clutch serves also to hold the front end of the carriage upon the slide.

riagc, but ip the front ends of metal bars b that project forward from the central transom o' of the carriage.

he bars b', being merely secured at their rear ends, are somewhat yielding and elastic at thcir front ends, and allow tho shaft which they hold to have a sdght vertical play, making thereby the friction applied to the bar Il more powerful, but less absolute than it would be if the shaft was hung in rigid' bearings.

ln figs. 5 and 6 is illustrated a slide for broadside. guns. l

In this case the friction-har extends forward of the slide to form the tongue 1*, through which the pintle R is titted hito the port-sill. The strain in this case is entirely removed from the slide and brought directly against the piutle.

Having thus described my invention,

l claim as new, and desire to secure b v Letters Patent- 1`. The arrangement and combination herein shown and described, of the driving-wheels K li of the carriage, the gear-wheels m m., and the adjustable pinion a, whereby theguu may he run into battery and the driving-pinion ungearethas and for thc purpose specitied.

2. The slotted plate d e of a rotary gun-carriage,

sliding on bolt B, in combination with the downwardprojecting'flip f arranged on plate G of cross-bar I, all as and for the purpose speciiied.

' 3. A friction-plate, L, constructed and located as shown, in combination with the clutch M, having itsl two parts ul r, arranged ou alternato sides of the said plate, as and for the purpose specified.

4. The construction and arrangement of the perforated plate r/, vertical check-bolt 1:. and phi i. to loc-l: the slide to the. deck, in the manner described.

5. rlhe combination of the cum-slurft N, straps x x, and box y, all constructed and arranged as set forth to counteract the recoil force and lessen the. shock upon thc hurters, iu the manner described.

6. .lhe combination with the ti-iction-elutch, operated by cam-shaft N, of the level' Z, and the notched and graduated arc-plate a', to regulate the amount of friction in proportion to the charge in the gun, all as set fort-h.

7. The arrangement of the shaft N in hearings upon the front ends of metal hais b that have a slightverclutch upon the'strap L, in the ina-nner described. Y

8. The combination, with h-urters H H, of the ti'iction-clutch M, applied atthe time and' in the manuel.` specified. i,

9. The combination, with a gun-'arriage having; slight longitudimd play upon its pivotholt, of elntr-'lr N, hurters H H, aml lip j', each of said instrumentalities operating at the time and in the manner spccitied.

J. ERICSSON.

Witnesses WM. l?. NICXAMARA,

'ALEX. F. Renners.

tical pla-y, for the purpose of relieving the friction--l The shaft N is not hung in the cheeks of the car-- 

